Swallow East's Chef Dishes On Vision, Magic Of Montauk

MONTAUK, NY — As blue skies and warm breezes hint at the tantalizing summer season to come, one of Montauk's top chefs took the time to share his vision for an eatery that's captured the essence of the East End.

Chef James Tchinnis, executive chef and owner behind the culinary magic at Swallow in Huntington and Swallow East in Montauk, will be marking his sixth season on the East End this year.

A native Long Islander, Tchinnis "uses fresh, seasonal ingredients to create New American cuisine offered in small plates designed to be shared. His focus is on fresh, seasonal ingredients — and with a location like the one in Montauk — right on the dock, it’s easy to source great seafood while providing a casual, sophisticated atmosphere," a release for the eatery said.

"Swallow East doesn’t try to be cool, and deliberately avoids being lumped into the category of 'local scene.' Instead, it’s a warm, unpretentious environment where the likes of Steven Spielberg and QuestLove, among others, can enjoy a great meal."

Tchinnis, of the Swallow Restaurant Group, began his culinary journey when, after spending a year at a North Carolina university, he shifted career paths and enrolled in the French Culinary Institute, now The International Culinary Center.

After graduation in 1995, he lent his talents to an array of restaurants in New York, including Le Cirque, The Grand Havana Room and Aliah.

In 1999, Tchinnis decided to return to Long Island temporarily; however, his plans changed after he met a server, Julie; they married and in 2009 became part owners of Bistro 44 in Northport, the restaurant where they met. In 2010, they decided to open Swallow Restaurant in Huntington Village.

In 2012, Tchinnis brought the dream to the East End, opening Swallow East on the dock in Montauk.

Most recently, Tchinnis and his partners opened Organic Krush in Woodbury, serving healthy food that is 100 percent organic.

Tchinnis, who lives in Huntington with Julie and their three children took time to share his vision with Patch this week.

"I enrolled in the French Culinary Institute and fell in love"

Food, he said, made an imprint on his heart from his earliest days.

"Food was always the center of our household growing up. My mother always cooked multi-cultural cuisine for dinner," he said. "There was never tuna noodle casserole or mac and cheese. On holidays, we ate traditional Greek food like pastichio, spanikopita, tarama and of course, lamb. So when I was deciding what to do with my life after high school, my mother nudged me in the direction of cooking. It was the early 90s, and there was no Food Network or celebrity chefs besides Julia Child and Jacques Pepin, so cooking was not the 'cool.' acceptable career it is today. I enrolled in the French Culinary Institute and fell in love."

His experience working at some of the most glittering names on New York's culinary canvas shaped his path as a chef, Tchinnis said.

"Working in Manhattan restaurants and attending F.C.I. was eye opening and inspiring. The level of creativity, professionalism, and volume was very new to me. The standards to which the other cooks and I were held were so high, and the speed at which we were expected to complete tasks was crazy," he said. "It taught me so much — and continues to drive me to this day. The sense of family in the kitchen, the standards I hold my chefs to, the leadership I try to demonstrate, all come from my experience with chefs in the city."

"We make elevated comfort food in an elegant, casual environment while pushing the culinary envelope"

Chef Tchinnis shared his vision for both Swallow and Swallow East, where "we make elevated comfort food in an elegant, casual environment while pushing the culinary envelope. We want our guests to feel as if they’re visiting with us at our home. The vibe is sophisticated, but approachable and friendly."

Montauk, he said, has long left an imprint on his heart.

"I went to Montauk a lot when I was growing up, and it always felt magical to me when I was there, as though we’d flown to a faraway beach. It was a lot more mellow and remote then, and the beach and waves seemed gigantic to me. The memories stuck with me, and they brought me back to Montauk."

Now, as a father of three, he said, "I see the magic of Montauk captivating them as well. It's a lot more crowded now, and it’s not as peaceful as it was back then, but the magic of Montauk is still there, and I hope it always will be."

Fresh fare on both the North and South Forks sparks his creativity as a chef, Tchinnis said.

"Being in a waterfront hamlet and so near great local farms is very inspiring to me as a chef. We’re actually in the process of completely revamping our menu to reflect what diners would expect from a waterfront Montauk restaurant. So we’re going to be doing a lot of fresh local seafood, local produce, and a killer raw bar with a twist on the traditional offerings. We are really excited to unveil the new menu this spring."

Describing Montauk, Tchinnis said beyond the obvious, beautiful beach community right on the ocean with great restaurants, and shops, "The real Montauk is all about the people. The Montauk locals are colorful, loyal and passionate. They love their town, they’ll fight to protect it, and will welcome outsiders with open arms if they respect you. They have been gracious and kind to us, and I feel lucky to be part of the community."

While he says he has no single favorite dish to prepare — "That's like picking a favorite child!" — Tchinnis said when he cooks, he focuses on fresh ingredients seasoned perfectly. "If you do the basics correctly, your ingredients will sing. You have to believe in what you’re doing; if you don’t, your guests will be able to tell pretty quickly."

When he's cooking at home for his family, Tchinnis enjoys making "beautiful, fresh shrimp with lemon zest, garlic, butter and some wine or a perfectly seasoned grass fed piece of steak in a pan cooked medium rare, or roast chicken with rosemary, garlic and white pepper – simple, but done right. At Swallow and Swallow East, we take this philosophy and elevate it to give diners food focused on technique and simple preparations."

Guests at Swallow East can expect "a lively, delicious, fun meal with attentive and caring service. We hope guests leave feeling that they’ve experienced cuisine that is familiar but provocative."

And, he said, they can also enjoy dancing on the deck to reggae, or sipping a signature cocktail while making memories with friends and family.

"We will do whatever possible to make our guests have a great experience," he said.

Reflecting on his journey, Tchinnis said it's his personal love story that has shaped his current success.

"My wife and children are everything to me. They are the reason I've worked so hard as a chef, father and husband to be the best I can be. Without my wife, Swallow and Swallow East would be just a dream. Her sacrifices and encouragement enabled the restaurants to be what they are today. I am very fortunate to call her my wife," he said.

He added, "She's been with me every step of the way. In the beginning, when Swallow was just an 18-seat restaurant, it was just the two of us. She was the waitress and I was the chef. It was our vision, and I truly believe that this is what has made it successful today. I have great memories of those early days."

And there's no better place than Montauk, Tchinnis said, to see that dream continue to unfold.

"Swallow East is really all about a vibe — the whole package. Montauk has absolutely shaped that. It's laid back but serious. It's fun and energetic, just like Montauk. It's sincere and welcoming. If Swallow East were anywhere else, it would be a completely different restaurant," he said. "We love being in Montauk and hope to be there a long time. "